New buck I didn't see at all last year so no clue what he was. What do we think? Old or old old? I'm thinking he has to be at least 5 right now. Looking forward to watching him this year. He's coming every day, twice a day for the last month.

Deer usually look young in the spring and summer. That deer looks old.

Corps_Ag12 said:

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Did you take these photos with a potato?

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Very zoomed in screen shot of a deer in the back of the picture. Here's a better one so you don't whine.

The picture is making him look old. If you look at the straight back, rounded butt. Not that old. 3.5-4.5.

Id call him 4-5. Dont know if he'll end up making 13". They need to start off with a pretty sharp angle outwards. At his current angle, he'll have to be really tall to also get wide enough.

In between 5-9

Also a buck can't be .5 for 12 months out of year

You age deer by .5 years due to when they or born and also due to molar growth. At 1.5 years (18 months) is when they have their first three permanent molars. Thats why they are aged in half years from their birthday. In any deer data record keeping all deer are aged at half year. Starting with 1.5.

I would suppose the 1/2 year convention is because the only time you are really paying attention is with antlers (hunting season) which is when they are half the way to their next birthday.

I agree that deer is older than dirt needs to be taken. This is the right time to age your deer as you look at it without the antlers.

That but more as to the time that they have their first set of three permanent molars. Which is at or about 1.5 years. So you can go back and forward from that time.

Just my humble opinion, this deer has a definite dropped brisket, dropped gut and shallow just before the haunches. You don't really see that in younger deer. Other sign is the thickness of the chest.

I see a
- healthy fat large body
- thick muscular shoulders and chest (compare his shoulders to his hind quarters)
- little sag in back (mostly in first pic)
- big callus knees (terrain does not look sandy/rocky to cause this younger age traditionally)
- shorter bowed legs
- extra loose skin around brisket

Theres no way of telling his exact age without history but I personally classify him as mature summer buck.

Actually…. He's more like mature and a half

Whitetails are considered mature at 4.5. As I said I'll give him that. I still will go that he's not a 6.5 plus deer imho.
Guess he needs to be harvested this season so we can find out?

I think 3. No more than 4.

If you are talking about aging a buck that is mature or close to it - horns really don't have much to say. I know sprouting non-typical points tend to happen in the later years but not always. And you can get some increase in mass, crab claws and that kind of thing but those can show up on younger deer too.

I have an easier time aging in the October - November timeframe or after they've shed. We keep track of our deer year-over-year but you always have a new deer show up.

I said this deer looks old because he looks like he carries a belly and is healthy but his hip bones are showing. His back looks to sway a bit in the first pick and has that more defined throat area down his neck. In the second pick his chest and front legs make him look a bit younger when looked at relative to his back end.

Hopefully you can post picks in September.

Well this has been fun. I'll see if I've got some more pictures of other angles when I get a chance.

I'm seeing 4-5. No more though. That back is way too straight to be older.

I'm Sticking with 5 plus

I say he's at least 5.